Washout leaves Durham adrift

Durham's home Friends Provident t20 match against Derbyshire was washed out before the first innings was completed - just as in last month's clash at Derby. Durham, bottom of the Northern Group, needed to win to retain any hope of scrambling into the quarter-finals, while the one point helped Derbyshire to consolidate the fourth qualifying place.

Durham skipper Phil Mustard had reached 70, his best score in the competition, when the rain arrived with Durham on 110 for 2 after 13 overs. Mustard's previous highest Twenty20 score was 67, also made at home to Derbyshire in 2006, and he had made only one half-century in 10 innings this season.

After reaching 50 off 32 balls, with four fours and a six, he reverse-swept Robin Peterson through Steffan Jones' legs at backward point for another boundary then swivelled to pull Tim Groenewald over fine leg for six. Mustard lofted the final ball just short of the rope over extra cover off Groenewald, who conceded 14 in the over after opening up with three overs for 18.

Derbyshire chose to field in gloomy light and Mustard pulled Charl Langeveldt over long leg for the first of his two sixes in the second over. But off the last ball of the over Wes Durston dived to his right at cover to catch Mark Stoneman, who was again preferred to Ian Blackwell.

With the skies growing darker and rain clearly not far away, Jones bowled Ben Stokes for 15 when the England Under-19 all-rounder hit across a slower ball. Dale Benkenstein then contributed 19 to an unbroken stand of 68 in seven overs and after a lean run the ex-skipper was showing signs of a return to form when the rain arrived.